July
1998

Topsham,
USA, July 4th 1998
The Fourth of July is not a day that we usually make a song and dance
of here in Topsham -- let's face it, the celebration is, after all,
to commemorate the early American Yanks getting shot of the Brits once
and for all. Not to worry: that is all ancient history now and today
there are few animosities between our nations. Yet still, it is a celebration
that always seems to puzzle my British friends, just as I have never
really gotten the hang of Guy Fawkes or Bonfire Night, which has less
to do with the political intricacies of the Gunpowder Plot and more
to do with the pagan ritual of preparing for winter.

This year
the Topsham School PTA chose the Fourth of July as its theme for its
annual fundraising fair. It was a great success, and raised a large
amount of much needed money for our beleagured school. But apart from
the fact that the children dressed in red, white and blue, and there
were the odd flags and red, white and blue balloons which were released,
there was not actually much of an American flavour (or flavor) to the
event, which to my way of thinking is really all about celebrating the
long, hot dog days of summer, cooking out during the day, eating watermelon
and drinking cold beer, and in the evening repairing somewhere to watch
the fireworks. I tried to do my bit, at least, by preparing a massive
pot of that Fourth of July favorite, brisket of beef, slow-cooked for
hours in sweet gunk, sticky and greasy, and served in a bun so that
as you eat it, the filling runs down your arms and chin and makes a
terrible mess. But it tastes so good, you usually don't even care...

Marc's
Famous and Genuine 4th of July Brisket

2 1/2 lbs
(1 kg) brisket (no other cut will do)

3 tablespoons
of vegetable oil

1 large
onion, chopped

2 large
carrots, coarsely chopped

3 or 4
pieces of celery, coarsely chopped

1 green
chili, seeded and chopped (use more chilies if you want to liven things
up)

About 2
cups Heinz tomato ketchup (no other will do)

Half a
bottle of smoky barbeque sauce (any sort will do)

1 cup cider
vinegar

Water

Salt and
pepper to taste

Hamburger
buns

Coleslaw
(preferably homemade)

If you
must, trim the brisket of excess fat. Leave in a whole piece. Heat the
vegetable oil in a large pot and gently fry the chopped vegetables.
Add the meat and brown. Add the tomato ketchup, smoky barbeque sauce,
vinegar, and sufficient water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil, then
immediately reduce heat to a bare simmer, and leave to slow cook for
3 to 4 hours or even longer.

Allow
to cool (preferably overnight) then thoroughly defat (OK, if you like,
you can leave some of the fat -- it does make it taste better). Take
out the pieces of meat, discarding any cooked out fat or gristle, and
shred the meatcompletely with a fork into fibrous strips. Return the
shredded meat to the gooey sauce.

To serve,
reheat thoroughly, and spoon generously into hamburger buns, topped
with a spoonful or two of homemade coleslaw.

Wine
Suggestion You gotta be kidding. A tall-neck bottle of Stroh's (I'd
like to say no other will do, but in fact, plenty others will do just
fine), or, if you're feeling poncey a very well chilled tumbler of White
Zinfandel.